This is a difficult type of product. But Apple has shown that it can be an alternative to laptops with the new iPads (Air and Pro). Compact and fast, but not cheap.
The “Crush” ad Apple used to promote its new iPads failed miserably. Apple sees this too and is doing something completely unusual: it’s apologizing. Reason for the hype: Everything from musical instruments to paint pots are destroyed in hydraulic presses in the business. In conclusion, the iPod is down. The message is clear: all this is no longer necessary if you only have an iPad Pro (i.e. newer).
For some critics, it’s an overly dystopian message that doesn’t sit well with Apple’s love of creative people. While not everyone is happy, the video has nearly 1.5 million views as of Tuesday evening. Considering what was achieved, even Apple is happy to apologize for the mistake. Because the ad is still online.
Regardless: Apple has rediscovered its love for iPads. In recent years, a new iPad has been worth a news release at most. This year had another event of its own: after all, Apple presented not only a new iPad Pro in two sizes, but also two new Air models. The latter are noteworthy not only because of their technical upgrade, but above all because the eleven-inch model now has a big brother of 13 inches.
Apple now uses Oled. Organic, self-luminous diodes, short for Old, have long been standard in the Android world. On the other hand, Apple is just now jumping on this bandwagon and Apple customers can now benefit from rich contrasts and beautiful dark black on the iPad Pro. But this technology offers another advantage: it works particularly economically. Screen brightness has been increased, now offering 1000 nits full screen brightness or 1600 nits “peak brightness”. But as usual, Apple uses its own name and calls it Ultra Retina XTR.
But that’s not all: the Pro models run on Apple’s own software. Unlike previous chips, the M4 can’t be used to test performance on a Mac. This once again makes clear Apple’s strategy: the iPad Pro is an adequate replacement for a laptop. Also, Pro models are already ready for all AI products expected in the coming months. A suitable keyboard (350/400 euros) and revised pen will now be “squeezed” for the tablets to really position themselves as competitors.
Airy and light, the iPad Air isn’t the center of attention, but it doesn’t deserve it. The new iPad Air models also offer one terabyte of storage and 5G support. No Face ID and no OLED display, sorry, Ultra Retina XTR display. But when it comes to price, the iPad Air takes the lead. Depending on the size, the devices cost between 700 and 1000 euros for the 128 gigabyte version. The iPad Pro starts at 1200 euros and the larger version starts at 1549 euros. Depending on the storage model and accessories, the price rises above 3,000 euros. So at least the price is on par with your own MacBooks.
